Chris Brown finally realizes how deeply his actions can hurt Karrueche Tran. The singer feels “awful” after watching Karrueche break down in a recent interview and knows “those tears stem from what he’s done to her in the past,” a source tells HollywoodLife.com EXCLUSIVELY.

“He felt awful seeing her cry. He knew those tears stem from what he’d done to her in the past and how he treated her,” our source adds.

How Karrueche Tran’s Interview Rocked Chris Brown

We’re told Chris really “loves” Karrueche and actually can’t imagine being without her. Our source also tells us that the interview, where Karrueche opened up about how hard it is dating someone so famous (especially someone who is the ex of Rihanna) was a real eye-opener for Chris — and actually rocked the singer to his core.

“When he watches sh** like that, it makes him look at himself and realize just how fu**ed up he’s been and how the women in his life feel,” our source says. “Moments like these give him the opportunity to see how those closest to him view him — and how he makes them feel.”

That’s not all. “It’s hard for him to watch Kae bawl like that,” the source continues. “It’s tough. He knows he hasn’t always been the best man to her, but he’s human and everyday he’s learning on how to drastically improve his behavior and relationships.”